'Crown jewel' wetland to be developed

Environmentalists trying to halt a controversial development in Leitrum were dealt a blow Wednesday.

Regional council voted to fast-track the building of water and sewage connections that would allow Tartan Land Corporation to build 1,500 new homes on the site.

But the Sierra Club says the development will endanger an important wetland, as well as the health of anyone who buys a new home there.

Albert Dugal is a retired botanist who worked at the Canadian Museum of Nature. He says, "(The wetland area) has something like 200 regionally significant plants."

He is also the chair of the committee to stop development on Leitrim.

Dugal points to a well put in place to test groundwater. It was built by Transport Canada near a landfill once used to dump laboratory waste.

He says the carcinogens found in the area are just one reason why people should not build houses in this area.

But regional chair Bob Chiarelli says the presence of dioxins is a red herring.

"The area's going to be serviced by piped water, by regionally purified water, and so our staff didn't think the issue of groundwater contamination was relevant at this point," says Chiarelli.

But Dugal has other concerns with the development. He says it will turn Findlay's Creek, a picturesque stream of mature trees, into a storm drain.

Pierre Desfresne of Tartan Land Corporation says his company will enter into a deal with the department of Fisheries and Oceans to protect habitat.

"If there is any alteration to Findlay Creek, what we'll be replacing it with will be better for the fish, I think," says Desfresne.

He says he accepts that the area is sensitive, but says his company will do the work to ensure little or no wetland is lost.

Sierra Club's Dugal says that with 1,500 new homes going in, he doesn't believe that's possible.

Construction of homes is expected to start late next year.